*Please Note: This was one of TheOneRing.net’s annual April Fools Jokes – We are not going anywhere…at least we don’t think we are!*KENOSHA, WISCONSIN — An official press release is scheduled for tomorrow, but we, the TORn founders and staff, want to notify all those who have supported us for the past 15 years that TheOneRing.net is shutting down.

The final decision was communicated in an all-staff conference call over the weekend, but it has been discussed for months, speculated about for years, and we’ve cracked jokes about it from podiums at conventions (that nobody took seriously at the time), but now the long-dreaded hour is finally upon us.

The four TORn Founders (Erica Challis, Chris Pirrotta, Mike Regina and William Thomas) reached a tentative decision last week, discussed it with Senior Staff (identities top secret), then included world-wide staff, active and inactive, on the weekend conference call.

“We have a real sense of accomplishment that the purpose of the website has been fulfilled,” said Regina on the call. “Erica and I were interested in “some guy” in New Zealand adapting “The Lord of the Rings” into movies, and when Chris and Bill found us it really elevated the effort. The next thing you know it became far more than the hobby we envisioned.”

“It’s the perfect time to go out on a high note, fresh off the recent success of the Hobbit movies and The One Last Party,” said Challis. “It is still our collective baby, but the four of us just feel content that it has run its course. We don’t want to be like a “Transformers” sequel.”

Pirrotta agreed with her, pointing out how much of a commitment 15 years is: “I was in college when this started with time to sit in a computer lab. All of us have jobs and kids and responsibilities now. We stayed true to our vision, didn’t sell the website for millions when offered, and we can all feel good about that.”

Thomas offered more practical reasons: “We made a commitment to not make a profit and to give the money away to charity if we did. We accomplished that and I’m proud that we kept the site pure. Plus, Star Wars is back, so we can all follow our true love again. Remember, TORn was just an ode to The Force dot net anyway.”

Not all staff agreed with the decision and there was a period of open discussion about different ways the site might change hands. While we will not tell the media or general public, we can share with true fans, there were audible sobs during the conference call. (more…)

For the previous Hobbit films TheOneRing.net attended press conferences and brought you coverage the best we could. For the last film “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug,” we delivered this transcript. Oh but now, here it all is on video!

Several Cast interviews have started showing up on YouTube after The Hobbit Panel on Saturday. Message board regular Arannir shared these ones on the boards and we thought we’d share them with you here. Something else for us all to enjoy while we impatiently await the teaser trailer to appear online.

With the Home Video release of The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (which becomes available this week in Australia, Brazil and parts of Europe), Richard Armitage has been busy giving interviews, as we’ve been posting over the past week or so. He found time to sit down again with staffer greendragon, and they chatted about finding Thorin’s voice one last time, what he’s working on now, and what it was like to fill (literally!) those mighty dwarven boots… Here’s what he had to say:

DigitalSpy have posted this video of their Twitter Q&A with Richard Armitage. In it they ask him about what we can expect to see in the Extended Edition of Desolation of Smaug and what he’s most looking forward to seeing in There And Back Again.

With just a week to go until the Home Video release (in the US at least – check our post here for full details of when the Home Video comes out in different countries) of The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, TheOneRing.net has recently had the chance to catch up with some of the film’s lead actors. Last week staffer greendragon spoke to Luke Evans about his role as Bard the Bowman, about using his native accent on-screen, and about stepping in to big shoes (or perhaps a big coffin?) to take on the role of Dracula. Here’s what he had to say:

BEVERLY HILLS – As “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” opens around (most) of the world, we continue or video conversations with its stars. This round has Luke Evans talking about Bard the Bowman and his character’s city of Lake-Town and Benedict Cumberbatch explaining Smaug and his take on the massive creature. TheOneRing.net had a chance to briefly sit down with both actors on the morning of the world premiere. Evans wouldn’t say it on camera but he was not feeling well but soldiered on all the same. Thanks to both for insightful answers. Enjoy

Dan Hennah, Academy Award winner and nominee just last year, talked about Middle-earth movies and “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” with TheOneRing.net last week while he stood inside the re-creation of Beorn’s house! Hennah and his wife Chris run the Art Department of Peter Jackson’s Hobbit movies and from concept to shoot day, makes the items and sets happen. He is a pretty incredible guy, right up there with Peter Jackson and Richard Taylor as one of New Zealand’s most amazing individuals. Part of our series of video interviews to get you ready for the World Premiere of the newest Middle-earth film!

BEVERLY HILLS — TheOneRing.net had a chance to sit down with Richard Armitage and talk “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug,” last week in the hours leading up the film’s world premiere in Los Angeles. We present below the first of several videos with some of the key actors in the films, this one featuring Richard Armitage talking about his character Thorin, his own writings and ping-pong. Enjoy and check back all day for more videos as we lead you into the hours before the debut of the second of three Peter Jackson movies based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Hobbit.”

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